I know a lot of people give you a face of disgust when you say you use fabric sanitary pads and a menstruation cup (I’ve had plenty of people looking disgusted when we talk about it), but really…you’re the one doing your body and the nature (!) a favor, not the once using the conventional sanitary products.
I know we’ve come a long way in developing pads and tampons that suck up absolutely everything super fast! However, this is to our disadvantage. The vagina is very sensitive and can easily absorb chemicals from tampons or pads. They don’t just suck up the menstrual blood, they suck up everything! This leaves your vagina dry and sensitive. Resent studies have shown that tampons contain lots of chemicals which are bad for us such as bleach, chlorine, glue, lotion, perfume and pesticides. Imagine that we us these things for a few days every month… we absorb a LOT of stuff that doesn’t belong in our bodies. And, they also contain a lot of plastic. Apparently one pad contain roughly as much plastic as 4 plastic bags!
So, best is to use a menstrual cup made in medical grade silicon and sanitary pads made in organic cotton or hemp. You can find cups on the internet and in some stores.
Use fabric diapers or organic diapers for your children. Same apply to them as the sanitary pads. FULL of plastic and chemicals and not good for the baby or the environment.

Cosmetic products are another place where we are exposed to a LOT of health impacting chemicals. Make sure to stay away from phtalates, parabens, stearalkonium chloride, benzophenone and much more. Perfume typically contain a lot of weird stuff as well. Best is to wear natural fragrance (if need be), such as essential oils. Just a drop or so on your wrists or behind your ears.
Nail polish is another culprit, but there are supposed to be some good ones out there if you really need to use them.

Use chemical free toothpaste, mouthwash and dental floss.

If you use shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and deodorant, get a chemical free one. Or none at all. =o)
I use shampoo from Maria Åkerberg, a Swedish brand. They also have make-up and other hair products and skin products, which are chemical free, natural ingredients and just super! I wash my hair with just a tiny bit of shampoo every second or third day. I use an olive oil for armpits, private parts and feet. My partner has stopped using everything, from shampoo, body wash, deodorant, perfume… He hasn’t been using shampoo since early this year and his hair never looks like it needs a wash (except perhaps right after the gym). During the summer vacation he stopped using body wash. The odour was sharp to begin with, but now, a month later, he barely smells at all.

Avoid plastic wrap and food containers, especially when being heated! Don’t use plastic bottles to drink water from, and if you have a plastic bottle, stop using it if it becomes heated by the sun. Get glass jars and food containers instead, and also glass bottles for water or ones made in BPA-free stainless steel like Klean Kanteen.
You can also look at the pan, the pots and the spatula etc. that you’re using, and swap it for a cast-iron pan, wooden spatula and similar things. There are more and more such things out there as more people are getting interested in minimizing their exposure to chemicals. Use reusable bags when grocery shopping and don’t put vegetables and fruit in plastic bags, use fabric bags or paper bags instead. You can always grab some old sheets or clothes and make your own small bags from them which you use for vegetables and fruits.
When it comes to plastic you also need to look at the things your kids use! Choose a glass or stainless steel bottle for example, and the ”sippy part” in natural rubber. The toys in plastic may be full of toxins as well, and that duck in the bathtub might be getting wet on the inside and mold can start to grow. Be aware, and check the things you use for your children extra carefully.
More on xenohormones and plastic here.

There are a lot of things you can do to help you from being exposed to xenohormones, but also to help the environment. The two go hand-in-hand.

It’s easy to get over-whelmed. My tip is to do one thing at a time. Perhaps start off with swapping out your sanitary pads, tampons (if you’re a woman) and diapers to better options.
Then the products you use on your skin and hair, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, lotion, make-up, nail polish, hair products, perfume etc.
When you feel comfortable there, you can swap out all the cleaning products and then start to swap out the products in your kitchen that are in contact with food.
Some people do it all at once, but as I said, this can be overwhelming and cost a lot of money.
Once you’ve swapped out a lot of the stuff however, you actually spend LESS money. I use very little shampoo, almost no make-up, use coconut oil or a chemical free lotion, and I use the same soap for cleaning the kitchen, the oven and the floors as I do cleaning out the toilet (although I might add bicarbonate or vinegar when I clean the toilet and shower, but more on that in a future blog post).

Take a note pad and write down which products you really need when it comes to showering, make-up etc. Then you start to look for alternatives. It’s the easiest way to do it in my opinion.
After I started eating better my skin has cleared up (I get eczema in my face from too much grain and dairy products for example) and I never use foundation and things like that anymore, which makes it a money saver. Ka-ching!
I use mascara every now and then, but I purchased a chemical free one from Maria Åkerberg. Expensive but so worth it! I also have some great eye shadow, but I use it perhaps once every second month…

Clean out your home from these products and minimize the effect of xenohormones in the environment.

Good Luck and have a wonderful day!

P.S. I know chemicals can be natural as well, but in this post I talk about chemicals as the man-made ones that affect us in a negative way.